Focus on the Family

We had the opportunity to be out and about this weekend.  It was great to have a break and 'get away'!  We went to tour the Focus on the Family facility.  It was really neat!  They actually have a whole floor that is designed just like The Odyssey.  (Natalie - we took several pictures just for you!)  We went with our friends the Evan's and the Partin's.  Here are some of our pictures from the weekend. 

See that crazy slide...Ella was too short, and John was too tall...but Jennie was just right.

Ella with new Friends Joy and Dave

Come on Mom and take the picture already....I've got stuff to do!

I'm not sure who had more fun...Ella or John

The dressing up has begun!

Through the wardrobe to Narnia

Ella and John in Narnia

The Box

As we enter into the last week of training here at MTI in Colorado Springs, we thought we would update you on some of the events of the last week. It has been a challenging, insightful, and encouraging time and this past week brought about several new training elements.  There is one event that we would like to share with you in particular.  This event is one we will probably remember for years to come.  The exercise was called “The Box.”  This exercise was a simulation in which we were challenged to examine ourselves when put under extreme stress and adversity.  The whole premise of the simulation was completely factious and as participants we were asked to try to be as realistic and honest as possible in order to gain from the experience what was hoped.  The simulation started out by splitting the MTI class into two groups.  No words, or directions were given just a silent command and off we went, lined up in a straight line down to the cellar of the building.   At that point the two groups were directed into two separate small plywood boxes (separated from spouses) with very little ventilation and no light.  (All cell phones, pocket knives etc were left behind.)  The boxes were extremely small and you could barely stand up let alone sit in the space.  In fact I (John) could not stand up straight and was forced to hunch over for the full simulation.  The instructor then informed us that we were aid workers in an African nation and we were caught in the middle of a rebel attack.  We had escaped the immediate danger and fled to a near by school where we had found a small space in the basement to hide out…. No communication, food, or water would be given.  For the next hour of the simulation we were bombarded with loud gun and plane sounds and given specific decisions to make concerning our “simulated” situation.  The activity started off kind of light hearted but soon we became extremely uncomfortable and the decisions we had to make become more and more realistic and more and more emotional.  From deciding as a group which 4 people would have the opportunity to make an escape to safety on an aid helicopter to which 4 individuals would be volunteered into the hands of the rebel soldiers.   Over the course of the hour we were forced to deal with multiple physical discomforts; emotional fears concerning family separation, life decisions, and captivity; and the stress of making split decisions amidst a group of differing opinions.  The simulation was definitely a memorable exercise and it brought out many fears as well as tears concerning the “what if’s” of cross-cultural ministry.  God has certainly blessed this opportunity to learn through “The Box” experience and we look forward to the final week of training coming up. 

Ella and Sam

One of the great blessings about our group here at MTI is the high number of children.  They all get along so well and enjoy playing together.  Because we are all living together, there are always playmates around for Ella to play with.  She has met so many wonderful friends since we have been here.  

There is one little boy named Sam that is especially special for Ella.  He and Ella were born on the very same day, just one hour apart.  They even both have curly hair.  It's been a joy to watch them play and laugh together!  

Let it snow, Let it snow, Let it snow...

While many of our friends and family are back home enjoying the wonderful spring weather, we have been experiencing winter all over again.   In the last two days our area of Colorado received 18-20 inches of snow!  Combined with the wind, it has been down right nasty to be outside.  Needless to say we've all gotten a little stir-crazy.  Some of the bravest in our group have battled the weather for snowball fights and sledding on cafeteria trays.  The rest of us have played A LOT of games!  Today we have been blessed with beautiful sunshine, and the snows is disapearing quickly!  (I can't believe that I just did an entire blog about the weather....I must be getting old!)

MTI Training

We just finished our first week of training at the MTI facility.  It has been an amazing experience so far.  We have been challenged in ways we never imagined, our emotions have been put through the ringer, and we've met amazing people and started new friendships.  This has been an invaluable experience and we so much appreciate the opportunity to have this kind of training.  We spend time all together in a conference room in large group sessions.  We also have small group meetings as well as meeting individually as couples with our 'training coach'.  Here are some of the topics we've covered so far:

• Values Awareness - Discovering what our values are and how they may differ from values held in other cultures.  (Family, independence, loyalty, respect, order, effective use of time)
• Cultural Differences - Discovering how to deal with the known, assumptions, and unknown differences we will face living in another culture.  
• Building Community
• Expectations - Learning how to deal with expectations from ourselves, our supporters, the nationals we will be working with.  How to deal with unmet expectations and how to set realistic goals for our ministry.  
• Lifestyle Choices - Coming to a realization that some of our personal expectations, desires and dreams (community, intimate relationships, job fulfillment) may be at odds with the reality found in our host culture.  In other words we may not find our expectations being met.  The challenge is coming to grips with that and trusting God in is promises.  
• Conflict Provides Opportunity - Learning that dealing with conflict is the number one issues that missionaries face today.  We did several exercised to help us discover our individual styles of dealing with conflict and how we can improve our skills in this area.  
  

One of the most impactful lesson I've personally taken away (Jennie) from this week of study was this quote:

"The key for successful personal relationships and ministry is to understand and accept other's as having a viewpoint that is as worthy of consideration as is ours."

This seems so simple and easy to incorporate in our relationships.  It is hard to realize how much cultural and personal values bias our perspective in everyday situations we face!  

One lesson or principle that God has used to challenge John over the past week, is the reality of God's promises. The only sure thing in our journey to come is that God desires to mold us into deeper communion, trust, and relationship with Him.  There are no guarantee's of health, personal fulfillment, ministry effectiveness, salvation stories, or even that we will all come home.  We can rest on the fact that God is good, He will be with us, and that this journey of faith will sharpen us for his glory.   

Here are some pictures of MTI.   

Front of MTI building.
Front Lobby
We are dinning cafeteria style.  Great food so far!
The backside of MTI has a great playground for the kids!  
Standing at the playground facing away from the MTI building.  Amazing views!

Something Simple

We were given a simple exercise to do on our first day of training at MTI.  The exercise is to write 5 things from the day that gave you joy.  It was interesting to assign this task on our very first day because many of us had traveled longs hours, some with children, to get there.  Many (us included) were worn out and travel weary.  At first it was hard to think of 5 things that really brought me joy.  But as I looked back on the day there were several thing - many very simple.  I've been making my list of 5 things for the past 4 days now.  It has been such an amazing blessing to stop and recognize how God LAVISHES his blessing on us EACH and EVERY day.  So many times we just get through the day and never realize it.  I highly encourage you to try it!

Sight Seeing!

Last week we had a few hours in the afternoon to do a little sight-seeing.  Here are some of the pics!

We were going to come back after dark and change this sign.  After seeing this place, it's pretty obvious it should be called 'Garden of THE God'.  

Ella's First Hike!

We Made it to the Top!

Ella's new friends: Grayson and Heather

"The Castle" at Glen Eyrie - Navigators Compound

Training Part One

We arrived in Colorado Springs for the beginning of our 3 1/2 week training on Thursday, April 9th.  For the past 5 days we have been at the YWAM base doing FH specific training.  This was a really neat time as it was such a small close knit group.  Besides us, there was one other family.  We first met the Evan's 1 1/2 years ago in Phoenix when we attended phase 1 of our training with FH.  Since then, we have been blessed to walk through this process of 'becoming missionaries' together.  It has been wonderful to share in our joys and struggles together.  To see them face to face after a year and a half at our phase 2 training was so special and emotional!  It's hard to believe how far the Lord has brought us in this process.  We also got to meet their SIX children for the first time.  After just a few days, it feels like we have known them for years!

The YWAM base is located right at the foot of Pikes Peak and is a two minute drive from Garden of the God's.  So not only did God bless us with wonderful fellowship, but also with the amazing back drop of his creation.  You can see the pictures below.   We spent most of our days inside going over a lot of material with 3 different global FH staff that were WONDERFUL.  Some of the topics we discussed were:

• Insurance, budget, home leave policies, and various other boring paperwork stuff
• FH global structure
  
• Foundations for Wholistic Community Development and Biblical Worldview
  
• Cross Cultural Life and Ministry
• Balanced life Towards Holiness

Here are some of the photos from YWAM/FH training.

Wardens with the Evans Family and Heather Hicks from FH.

YWAM base we stayed at.

View of Pikes Peak from the front door of the YWAM Base!

Yesterday (Monday) we moved from the YWAM base and went down the road to the MTI facility for the next 3 weeks of our training.  I will blog more about MTI soon!  

Matching Funds Update

I appologize that it's been so long since we have blogged!  Life has been very full for us the last fews weeks.  We are realizing that less than three months from now we could be living in and calling our home, Bolivia.  We are now up to our elbows in logistics, questions, and unknowns.  The last few weeks have been filled with meetings about health insurance, taxes, banking overseas, travel visas, life insurance and missionary training.  Talking about these issues seems to just bring up more questions, what ifs and unfamiliar territory.  But in the midst of the planning is the faithful hand of God that continues to provide and carry us through.  

If you read our last post you know about the matching fund campaign that our home church graciously presented.  All funds given to our ministry for the month of February were matched 2:1 by the church missions board.  Today, we are excited to announce the incredible results of that campaign.  For the month of February we received $7,965.00 in one-time gifts as well as $350.00 in monthly pledges.  All of that, match by the church bring our new budget totals to 100% funded in our outbound and 79% funded in our monthly expenses!  We are amazed at how God continues to provide for us.  

We currently just started our 3 1/2 weeks of training in Colorado Springs.  I will update you on our training in another blog... very soon!

Thanks to all our you who are praying for us!  Please continue to pray for the sale of our condo.  We know that God will sell it.  We are trusting in His timing.